How to Become a Federal Air Marshal

Submitted by Samuel Homes on Friday, Feb 7th, 2014

Learning how to become a federal air marshal may seem like a challenge, but after reading this article you will have a good understanding of what exactly one would do in this position, as well as the requirements involved and the steps to take to become one.

What do you do as a Federal Air Marshal?

*Generally, as a Federal Air Marshal, your responsibility will be the security of an aircraft you are in charge of but also for national security. It will pertain to all aspects of transportation and the country's critical areas of infrastructure. When it comes to the TSA, Federal Air Marshals are the primary entity in law enforcement. The primary Federal Air Marshal duty is to protect the aircraft and those aboard from any kind of potential acts of terrorism on international and domestic flights. The position is always evolving and expanding into new territories so it is an ideal job to consider getting into if you want to be part of something new and exciting in the world of law enforcement.

What are the requirements to become a Federal Air Marshal?

When it comes to becoming a Federal Air Marshal, the competition is unfortunately pretty high due to the highly skilled work and fairly well paying federal government positions, so anything of a unique nature that you can do to set yourself apart from the rest would be a must. Of course, one of the most important things to consider is an education relating to the field. Earning a Bachelor's, Master's, or a Doctoral degree, will definitely give you an edge but still won't necessarily guarantee you employment for your desired position in the field. However, a better education may help to waive certain Federal Air Marshal requirements. Federal Air Marshal Service applicants must be U.S. Citizens, and have to be younger than 37 years of age at the time of hiring. In some cases, previous federal law enforcement experience may help to make you exempt from this particular requirement. To prove that you're ready to handle the position you must meet certain physical, health, and medical requirements to ensure you're in shape, and have at least three years of prior work experience. Relevant experience would be in fields such as professional, administrative, investigative, technical work, or any other field of which would be considered as a responsible and progressive career field. Having a bachelor's degree, as well as at least one year of specialized work experience in relation to the FV-G level is preferable in the law enforcement area. Additional education including a doctoral degree or at least three years of graduate education in things such as criminal justice, public administration, police science, aviation management, and law can also be helpful in giving you an edge during the application process.

Getting employed may be tough but the effort should be worth it if you want to work in a fast-paced law enforcement position with room for growth. What are you waiting for, check it out and work towards becoming a Federal Air Marshal, today!

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